Just got a call from the Comcast technician. He doesn't have any cablecards, and has to put in a request for them, so today's scheduled visit isn't going to happen. So it looks like Comcast isn't going to make it easy for me.

The tech was nice, he said that Comcast put the brakes on ordering cable cards, and that they are making do with what they have on hand, especially since Comcast now offers a Tivo service. I told him, it sounds like Comcast wants to make it difficult if I don't use THEIR Tivo service, and he said "I wasn't saying that", and I said, "I know you weren't but I am.." and he laughed.

I did remind him that Comcast has to provide the cable cards per the FCC, so we'll see what happens next. I might make a stink about having to continue to pay for my Comcast DVR service since they fell down on having the cards when my visit was scheduled, I'll see if this gets resolved quickly, or whether it goes totally sideways from here...

I've been pretty happy with Comcast so far, I hope this is a one-time aberration.

Hi all. I have two Tivo HD's, and had Comcast over this morning to install cablecards. Both are Motorola M Cards. I thought everything was fine, but now I realize that I am getting none of the encrypted channels. The installer will be coming back this afternoon.

Figured i might as well post here also. I have an original S3 (rear load cards). Got the same problem you do zoinks, with only one of the cards, the other works fine. The non working card shows channel data but no picture or sound. The conditional access screen show only the same lines yours does, the working card has everything showing.

I've been pretty happy with Comcast so far, I hope this is a one-time aberration.

Skymom

Once they got the cards paired correctly, my service has been stellar. One major problem in 3 years, and it really wasn't their fault. The underground cable in my front yard wore out and they promptly pulled a new one the next day and it's working great again. Especially cool with all the new Channels Comcast has added.

__________________Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by human error

My cablecard installation went without a hitch (3 units, 5 cablecards total - 4S and 1M) and the units have been operating for over two years without a problem.

On another note, last friday I noticed a message indicating channels have been added to my lineup. When I looked, I saw that my comcast franchise (central NJ - used to be patriot media) added 86 HD channels! - I went from about 15 HD channels to 86, all without SDV. Suddenly, I am very happy with comcast my the desire for FIOS is waning.

Anyone know if it is possible to get comcast caller id on the TIVO? I have a comcast DVR along with my TIVOHD and the comcast DVR has a really nice feature for caller id displaying on the TV. They also have software to get caller id on your computer (if you have comcast internet) and I plan to implement that but really would love to have the caller id on the TIVO.

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Joe Baker

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UPDDATE: I guess it takes calling 10 times to finally get someone who can send the right combination of signals to the card. We are now up & running & $75 poorer from a wasted electrician's visit. If they suggest an electrician, JUST SAY NO!

I'm glad to have found this thread, but am no closer to a resolution. Here's our situation: Tivo & Comcast worked very well together for about 2 weeks, HD channels were visible, life was good. Over a week ago, the HD channels started to slowly leave us. Called Comcast, they sent the signal a few times and it still wasn't working, so they suggested a new card. I went to my local Comcast office (Sunnyvale - lovely people that work there, they were very helpful) got a new card, came home, installed card, and low & behold, only the basic cable channels were working. No HD, no premium, nada, zip zilch. Called Comcast again, they ended up dispatching a tech, who ran new cable and disconnected our splitter (now no other room has tv, but that's fixable). He also suggested having an electrician come out and check electrical. $75 later, no problems with electrical, except the coax cable has 70 volts on it. Called comcast again, he kept sending the signal or whatever they're doing & really was trying to help, or at least it seemed that way, and it's still not working. I'm going to see if a new card will work, if not, well, I'm not sure what to do.
Thanks for reading my rant, any suggestion or links to what might work would be greatly appreciated.
Ann

Anyone here in the Mobile Alabama area? I'm moving back and may just use Comcast instead of Dish Network. Tivo or Moxi is a must, because I need a lot of recording space. Are any channels SDV and not able to be viewed? How do the ccards work in our area?

Anyone know if it is possible to get comcast caller id on the TIVO? I have a comcast DVR along with my TIVOHD and the comcast DVR has a really nice feature for caller id displaying on the TV. They also have software to get caller id on your computer (if you have comcast internet) and I plan to implement that but really would love to have the caller id on the TIVO.

Unfortunately, universal caller ID is not compatable with TiVo.

__________________
people who say you can't buy happiness just don't know where to shop

Nope, I'm back. Thanks for all the info and sorry I didn't post sooner. Channels are disappearing again. I'm almost afraid to call Comcast because they really aren't fixing anything. We had every channel for 3 days and now some basic cable channels are missing & some HD channels are missing. I'm going to check the link you posted to see if anything can be resolved.

As for the electrician, I guess it wasn't a total waste, we had a "floating" ground that seems to be fixed, but I still the think Comcast tech just wanted an excuse to leave.

I had a Comcast technician come out yesterday to install an m-card in my new TiVo HD. He had no idea what he was doing but got things working in the end. Took about an hour and three calls to his Comcast contact. The first cable card was bad. Good thing he brought two. He'd never worked with cable cards before. Part of the problem was communication. At first, I wasn't getting hi-def channels. The Comcast person on the other end of the line thought I was adding the TiVo HD to the boxes I already had, not replacing the Comcast HD dvr. I got the hd channels once that was sorted out.

I'm at the same screen. The Val changes periodically. Both TiVo and Comcast support are stumped; a Comcast tech left just after trying 4 different CableCards, all with the same result. TiVo's sending a replacement unit because they can't think of anything else to do.

I had Comcast install 2 cable cards in my HD and everything went well. I subscribe to limited basic for $15.99 month. I had to call more than once to find a CSR who knew the correct price. The first card is free and the second card is $2/month. I have no Comcast boxes and keep basic service for the multiple older analog only TVs in the house.

There are several advantages to using cable cards. All the channels are now easily 'tunable' versus being hidden on virtual channels like 100-9. TiVo guide only lists channel information for the virtual channels if cable cards are used. (Something I think TiVo should fix.) All channels are digital so no more gray screen of death which happened twice in 2 weeks.

The installer brought 3 cards and the first 2 worked. He had a hand held terminal and wanded the bar code on the card and inserted them 1 at a time. When the TiVo screen came up he enter the information into the terminal and then had me test the card on channels I did not get before. Very smooth and quick and he did not need to make phone calls.

Glad you were able to get it for apparently the right price. Comcast was trying to charge me $16/month on top of the $15+ for cable...despite that being both contrary to their stated prices, and presumably illegal.

Gave me the excuse to finally cut the cord and ditch them though. They COULD have had my money if they wanted it...

It is what it is. We don't necessarily have to like the laws; indeed laws are typically a reflection of a balancing of opposing interests, rather than the imposition of one specific interest. Therefore, it is exceedingly rare for anyone to be 100% completely happy with the way any specific law is.

Hi all. I have two Tivo HD's, and had Comcast over this morning to install cablecards. Both are Motorola M Cards. I thought everything was fine, but now I realize that I am getting none of the encrypted channels. The installer will be coming back this afternoon.

In the Chicago area. We now have two big TVs (lived on the 25" tube for several years!). Each TV has its own Series 3 HD TiVo. For one TiVo, we have lifetime service (TV #1), we don't have TiVo service yet on the other (TV #2). Just set up TiVo #2 today, we are using wireless USB for both, I created a home network with desktop, laptops and TiVos (same as at my old house).
We currently do not pay extra for HD service from Comcast. On TV#1, we are receiving all the HD versions of the stations in our package. On TV #2, we are only receiving HD for the local networks (ABC, NBC, etc). The other HD channels (where we subscribe to the matching SD) have a blank screen.

I have tried to search the thread but it is a big thread! I haven't found this answered explicitly. My questions pertain to the Atlanta market.

I am not a comcast customer, but my parents are. They have an old 2-tuner analog tivo and have been transitioned to nearly all digital service. So, they can't really dual-tune any more and I am considering giving them a TivoHD so that they can recover dual tuner service. I asked my dad to call Comcast and find out their cable card policy and pricing.

He said that Comcast reported that he could exchange one of the boxes on his account for _one_ cable-card, but that additional cards would be $5.99 per month, which he is not inclined to pay.

A few questions for the Atlanta area customers:

* $5.99 per card seems high - is that the price per card that you have seen? I thought that there was a FCC mandated cap of less than that.

* One card would do if it's in a m-card. Is it possible to get an m-card on request? Is it possible that Comcast knows that tivos need m-card and just do that for tivo customers without going into detail about it? I wasn't on the phone, so my dad may have mentioned the tivo, or not.

* $5.99 per card seems high - is that the price per card that you have seen?

You're right to ask for replies from Atlanta-area customers. This may be different from area to area. For comparison, here in Boston, they have a special code for "second CableCARD in the same device", and that's $1.75. I think that $5.99 number is probably the same as what we pay here, if there is not such a code available.

Quote:

Originally Posted by angra

I thought that there was a FCC mandated cap of less than that.

There is no such cap. Rather, the average rate charged for CableCARDs... averaged over the entire country... is reviewed by regulators.

Quote:

Originally Posted by angra

* One card would do if it's in a m-card. Is it possible to get an m-card on request?

Again, you'll want to get a local answer, but I think this is becoming less of a concern, as S-cards are becoming a lot less common.

Quote:

Originally Posted by angra

Is it possible that Comcast knows that tivos need m-card and just do that for tivo customers without going into detail about it?

First, there is no TiVo bias in this regard. The TiVo S3s work just as well with S-cards as with M-cards. Second, generally, Comcast isn't going to note, or consider, the destination of the CableCARD until they're in the home. Request an M-card. Hopefully that's what you'll get.